An Editor's Guide To Using A Free Indian Wedding Planning Checklist

Congratulations on starting your wedding planning journey. Here begins the journey towards one of the most significant events of your life. Remember to stay calm and make room for self-care activities in your schedule.

Why Do You Need a Wedding Planning Checklist?

This is to make your wedding planning journey easier, of course! The best way to start your wedding preparation is by creating an Indian wedding planning checklist. From finding the right wedding venue, wedding planner, wedding decorator, bridal makeup artist, sherwani, and bridal lehenga designer for your big days to exploring care packages and making time for self-pampering and self-care, there’s much to do!

I have compiled this blog to ensure you don’t miss the most crucial wedding planning steps. A wedding planning checklist gives you enough time to plan and execute crucial tasks. This ensures that there's nothing left to do at the last minute and that you get to enjoy your wedding to the fullest. Creating a wedding planning checklist is the key to a stress-free wedding for the couple, the family, and the vendors involved.

In this article:

• 9 to 12 months before the wedding checklist
• 6 to 8 months before the wedding checklist
• 4 to 5 months before the wedding checklist
• 3 months before the wedding checklist
• 2 months before the wedding checklist
• 1 month before the wedding checklist 
• 3 weeks before the wedding checklist
• 1 week before the wedding checklist

9 to 12 months before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Magic Motion Media

Now that the families have met, sweets have been exchanged, and they are consulting pandits and trying to decide on a wedding date, how do you begin the wedding planning journey? 

If you start your wedding planning journey between 9 and 12 months before the wedding, you have enough time to plan everything out seamlessly. Here’s the wedding checklist you should follow to avoid hassles:

• Discuss the wedding budget. Before you finalize the wedding theme and destination, having the most important discussion with your family is important. Confirm an average wedding budget. You can then use our wedding budget planner to break down your total budget into different categories.
• Decide on the destination of your wedding. Once you have decided on the wedding budget, this is easy to evaluate. Destination weddings can be more expensive, depending on the type of destination you choose. Discuss whether you want to explore wedding venues in your city, in an Indian destination, or abroad. This will help you save time and find venues and wedding vendors accordingly.
• Work on your guest list. It’s time to make your wedding guest list. Both families should make their guest lists in advance to have the total number of guests handy for venue and vendor booking discussions.
• Finalize your wedding month and shortlist a few dates or mahurat. Don’t start talking to wedding venues or vendors without having this information handy; otherwise, you will end up doing the same tasks multiple times. Scour through the wedding calendar and agree on a few possible dates for your wedding celebrations. You are now ready to explore available vendors and venues on these dates. 
• Decide and book a wedding planner. This decision will depend entirely on the size of your wedding and your wedding destination. While planning a wedding in your city is doable, a destination wedding needs an event coordinator. You might also want to consider this if you plan a wedding with 500–1000 guests in your city. 
• Finalize your wedding and style. What is your wedding vision? Are you thinking about a beach wedding, a fort/palace wedding, an intimate wedding on a boutique property, a hillside wedding celebration, or a big, fat Indian wedding in your hometown? There are endless options to choose from. Knowing your wedding style beforehand will help you look for the suitable wedding venues in the right destinations.
• Start exploring wedding venues. Finalizing your wedding venue is the most critical task on your wedding planning checklist and the most significant investment in your wedding budget. Due to high demand during Saaya dates, you are advised to start your venue tours before this time. If you are planning a destination wedding, seek your wedding planner’s assistance to look at options within your budget. Make sure you have an initial count of rooms you will need at the venue before proceeding with the booking.

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6 to 8 months before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Deekad Studios

Have you just started your wedding planning process? 

Check out the tasks above enlisted under ‘8 to 12 months before the wedding checklist’ and start working on them first.

Completed the previous tasks?

Here’s your remaining wedding checklist for 6 to 8 months to go:

• Close the catering discussions. Most wedding venues in India offer delectable catering services for your wedding; however, if you have decided to book multiple banquets and need separate catering services, this is the right time to explore vendors and close the booking.
• Start looking at wedding trends and decor inspiration. It’s time to set up that Pinterest mood board now. Look for wedding trends for the upcoming wedding season and start adding the photos you like to your Pinterest boards.
• Book your wedding decorator. The cost of wedding decorations is growing year over year. If you need personalized decorations for each of your events, ask your wedding planner or find top wedding decorators online.
• Book your wedding photographer and HMU - Good wedding photographers and bridal makeup artists are always in demand on Saaya dates. Touch base with the non-negotiable wedding vendors and cross-check their availability first. Send them the booking amount to close the deal. If they are unavailable, start looking for other top-rated wedding photographers and bridal makeup artists online and close the vendor bookings.
• Start looking for your wedding dresses. Top designers can take up to 4 months to deliver customized wedding dresses. Other boutiques and stores can prepare them for delivery within 30–45 days. Plan your wedding shopping timeline depending on your designer preferences.

Top Wedding Venues in India

4 to 5 months before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Portfolio Studio

Have you just started your wedding planning process? 

Check out the tasks above enlisted under ‘8 to 12 months and 6 to 8 months before the wedding checklist’ and start working on them first.

Completed the previous tasks?

Here’s your remaining wedding checklist for 4 to 5 months to go:

• Plan your pre-wedding shoot (if applicable): If you are planning a pre-wedding shoot, this is the right time to finalize the details. You can consult your wedding photographer and get a customized package if you want them to also offer the pre-wedding videography service. Discuss and finalize the locations, pre-wedding shoot outfits, etc., and plan the pre-wedding shoot at least five months before the wedding.
• Finalize your wedding entertainment vendors - Do you need a wedding anchor, a folk dance group for one of the pre-wedding events, a wedding DJ, or a band for the wedding? If you have hired a wedding planner, they will help close these bookings on time. If not, find the top wedding entertainment vendors online, discuss their availability, and book them on time.
• Confirm your wedding pandit or officiant's availability. If you have not already done so, ensure your wedding pandit or officiant is available on your wedding date. Send them your wedding card and confirm all ritual details with them.
• Hire a wedding invitation designer. If you are planning to make printed invitations, try to hire a wedding invitation designer 5 months before the wedding and courier the invitations to your long-distance family members and friends at least 4 months before the wedding.
• Send Save the Dates: If you plan to send e-invitations, send a Save the Date 5–6 months before the wedding to ensure your family and friends have blocked their dates.
• Book your spa appointments to melt the stress away. Don’t let the stress of wedding planning overwhelm you. Make sure you have time to pamper yourself and care for your health and skin.

Top Wedding Decorators in Your Budget 

3 months before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Knotting Bells, Wedding Decoration: Amit Decorators 

Have you just started your wedding planning process?

Check out the tasks listed above and make sure you prioritize them first. You will have to pick up speed and close all wedding vendor bookings quickly to ensure things happen smoothly. 

Completed the previous tasks?

Here’s the remaining wedding checklist for 3 months to go:

• Book your mehndi artist. Find a mehndi artist within your budget and send them the booking amount to block their dates for your mehndi function.
• Start buying jewellery for your wedding. Many brides opt for heirloom jewellery designs for their wedding day, but you still need to shop for accessories for your remaining wedding events. Make a detailed list of the accessories you need for your wedding events and start shopping for them. 
• Create a wedding website: You can use a free WeddingWire India website template to create your wedding website, which will have essential information, event schedules, etc.
• Send out your wedding invitations. Sending your wedding invitations three months before the wedding is a decent timeline because it helps your guests plan their schedules.  You can also plan their accommodations accordingly. If you send wedding invitations through WhatsApp, add your website link here for easy reference.
• Finalize menus for all the events. You might have closed the venue booking after an initial round of discussion on per-plate food costs and type of menu (total number of starters, main meals, desserts, etc.), but it’s time to detail the menu for each event. Take the wedding menu card for your wedding hotel and finalize the exact food items for each event. 
• Finalize all wedding event schedules with your planner - What is the flow of each of your wedding events? For example, how does the couple enter the wedding venue during their engagement ceremony? Are their dance performances after that? Who performs first, and who follows? Do you have a ring-bearer? So many nitty-gritty details go into building a successful wedding event. Your wedding planner can help you put that together in detail. If you have not hired one, plan the flow yourself and delegate these tasks to your friends and family. 

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2 months before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Seven Shades Production

Here’s the remaining wedding checklist for two months to go:

• Prepare song selections for all your events. Delegate this task to a friend or cousin you trust, or do it yourself, but make sure you have a list of songs for each event. Send this to your DJ a few weeks before the wedding to ensure he has time to prepare his playlists.
• Order wedding favors for your guests well in advance. Whether you're ordering a huge order for mithaai boxes or customized wedding favors like eco-friendly plants or fancy gift boxes, it’s always smart to order your wedding favors well in advance.
• Book transportation for your wedding guests. If you have to rent a traveller or multiple cars for transportation for your guests, now is the time to pre-book the vehicles online for your wedding events.
• Follow up with all your booked vendors to ensure everything is on track.

Trusted Wedding Transportation Services in Your City 

1 month before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: FilmReel 

Here’s the remaining wedding checklist for a month to go:

• Confirm RSVPs with all your guests, and confirm with the venue if you need to increase room counts or plates per event.
• Finalize the room plan if your guests are staying at the wedding venue. Ask for the hotel layout and assign rooms to your guests as required. 
• Cross-check the weather forecasts. If you have outdoor events, cross-check the weather forecasts. If there is a chance of rain, check with your wedding venue now for a Plan B to avoid last-minute hassle. 
• Plan a meeting with your decorator. If you are getting new stuff done according to your theme, do a final check on mood boards and look at fabrics, props, etc. Get a list of deliverables from them to make sure nothing is missing.
• Plan a meeting with your photographer or videographer. Share your wedding photography vision with them and send your favourite shots for reference. Let the team know what you think about wedding videos and photos. Check the time slots for these shoots so you or your planner can plan your wedding event schedule and make room for couple photography and bridal shoots.
• Keep track of payments to ensure you have not missed any. If you fail to pay the deposits on time after booking a vendor, there’s a good chance they will cancel your booking. Ensure you have written contracts for all your vendors and follow these contracts to avoid any hassle. 
• Check all outfit fittings. It’s normal to lose weight due to the stress of wedding planning. Check for proper outfit measurements and send them for fittings if required. Don’t start aggressive dieting or fitness regimens a month before the wedding. It will impact your outfit fittings terribly. 
• Finish all your wedding shopping. It’s time to return to your wedding shopping list and ensure you have checked all the boxes. From accessories for your events to lingerie shopping to bridesmaid gifts, welcome kits, wedding favours, gifts for your in-laws, and more, your wedding shopping list must be complete by now. Avoid dragging these tasks out until the last week before your wedding.
• Book a wedding cake for your engagement party or reception.
• Assign responsibilities to your friends or cousins. (if applicable)

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3 weeks before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Wedding Scripts, Wedding Decorator: The Wedding Library

Here’s the remaining wedding checklist for 3 weeks to go:

• If you are planning to wear heirloom jewellery, head to the jeweller to get your heirloom jewellery professionally cleaned. 
• Chase all your pending RSVPs and get a confirmation now.
• If you are planning a wedding speech or vow, write it down and read it out loud to your sibling or bestie. Make sure it sounds right and is written from the heart!
• Schedule a final meeting with your wedding planner (if applicable)

Upto 20% Discount on Wedding Packages 

1 week before the wedding checklist

Wedding Photography: Soulmate Films

• Steam your wedding outfits and ensure each event’s accessories are stored in one bag.
• If you have opted for a destination wedding, complete packing your bags now to ensure you don’t miss packing anything.
• Complete getting your wedding trousseau packed by a professional or your family members.
• Pack your bags for your post-wedding events or if you are heading for your honeymoon right after the wedding.
• Arrange all pending payments for your wedding vendors. Even if you must pay the remaining amounts after the wedding, make sure the cash is in one place or assign someone to transfer the amounts on time.
• Get your waxing, manicure, pedicure, or any other self-care session at least 5-7 days before the wedding.